NameCensus.

UK surname

Walther

An occupational surname derived from the German word for "ruler" or "leader," likely referring to a village headman.

In the 1881 census there were 47 people recorded with the Walther surname, ranking it #27,019 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 158, ranked #22,904, up from #27,019 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Newcastle St Andrew, Hastings St Mary-in-the-Castle, Hastings St Andrew and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cherwell, Caerphilly and Surrey Heath.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Walther is 168 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 236.2%.

1881 census count

47

Ranked #27,019

Modern count

158

2016, ranked #22,904

Peak year

2014

168 bearers

Map years

6

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Walther had 47 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #27,019 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 158 in 2016, ranked #22,904.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 112 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Walther surname distribution map

The map shows where the Walther surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Walther surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Walther over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 7 #32,070
1861 historical 112 #19,279
1881 historical 47 #27,019
1891 historical 109 #22,701
1901 historical 88 #24,270
1911 historical 112 #21,274
1997 modern 126 #23,461
1998 modern 136 #23,013
1999 modern 140 #22,789
2000 modern 154 #21,415
2001 modern 142 #22,234
2002 modern 157 #21,261
2003 modern 149 #21,766
2004 modern 148 #22,000
2005 modern 148 #21,961
2006 modern 133 #23,711
2007 modern 141 #23,137
2008 modern 140 #23,511
2009 modern 143 #23,686
2010 modern 157 #22,800
2011 modern 166 #21,745
2012 modern 159 #22,361
2013 modern 160 #22,621
2014 modern 168 #22,075
2015 modern 161 #22,599
2016 modern 158 #22,904

Geography

Back to top

Where Walthers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Newcastle St Andrew, Hastings St Mary-in-the-Castle, Hastings St Andrew, London parishes and Charton-next-Woolwich. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cherwell, Caerphilly, Surrey Heath and East Hampshire. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Newcastle St Andrew Northumberland
2 Hastings St Mary-in-the-Castle, Hastings St Andrew Sussex
3 London parishes London 1
4 London parishes London 3
5 Charton-next-Woolwich London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cherwell 001 Cherwell
2 Caerphilly 011 Caerphilly
3 Surrey Heath 010 Surrey Heath
4 East Hampshire 011 East Hampshire
5 Caerphilly 014 Caerphilly

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Walther

These lists show first names that appear often with the Walther surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Walther

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Walther, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Walther surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Walther household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

City Support Workers

Within London, Walther is most associated with areas classed as City Support Workers, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Scattered throughout Inner London, these areas house relatively few workers in the most senior roles within organisations, and greater prevalence of administrative roles relative to the Supergroup mean. Residents are less likely to be of Chinese ethnicity and are more likely to have been born in Africa. Relative to the Supergroup average, residents are also more likely to live in social housing and live in overcrowded conditions.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Walther is most concentrated in decile 4 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Walther falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Walther is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Other

This describes the area pattern most associated with Walther, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Walther

The surname Walther is of German origin, derived from the Germanic personal name Walther, which means "ruler of the army" or "army commander". It is composed of the elements "waltan" meaning "to rule" and "heri" meaning "army".

The name can be traced back to the 8th century, and it is believed to have originated in the region of southern Germany, particularly in Bavaria and Swabia. The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in medieval German records, such as the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae Regiae.

In the 12th century, a German knight named Walther von der Vogelweide (c. 1170-1230) was one of the most renowned poets and lyricists of the Middle Ages. He is considered one of the greatest poets of the German Middle Ages and his works had a significant influence on the development of German literature.

Another notable figure bearing the Walther surname was Johann Gottfried Walther (1684-1748), a German music theorist, organist, and composer. He is best known for his influential work, "Musicalisches Lexicon," which was one of the earliest comprehensive dictionaries of music.

In the 19th century, the name was associated with the German industrialist and inventor Walther Rathenau (1867-1922), who played a significant role in the economic and political development of Germany during and after World War I.

The Walther surname was also prominent in the field of firearms manufacturing. Carl Walther (1858-1915) founded the famous German firearms company Walther Arms, which is renowned for producing high-quality pistols and other firearms.

Another notable bearer of the Walther name was the German theologian and reformer Johannes Walther (1496-1570), who was a close associate of Martin Luther and played a crucial role in the Protestant Reformation.

From the earliest recorded instances to the present day, the Walther surname has been present in various fields, including literature, music, industry, and theology, reflecting its deep roots and historical significance in German culture and society.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Walther families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Walther surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Middlesex leads with 22 Walthers recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.80x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 22 4.80x
Durham 8 5.87x
Hampshire 5 5.32x
Kent 3 1.92x
Surrey 3 1.34x
Cheshire 1 0.99x
Denbighshire 1 5.78x
Monmouthshire 1 3.02x
Somerset 1 1.36x
Staffordshire 1 0.65x
Westmorland 1 9.93x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bishopwearmouth in Durham leads with 8 Walthers recorded in 1881 and an index of 68.32x.

Place Total Index
Bishopwearmouth 8 68.32x
Kensington London 7 27.47x
Boldre 3 882.35x
Chelsea London 3 21.72x
Hackney London 3 11.67x
Hampstead London 3 42.02x
Penge 3 102.39x
St Pancras London 3 8.13x
Deptford St Paul 2 16.58x
Aberystruth 1 34.25x
Claughton With Grange 1 217.39x
East Woodhay 1 416.67x
Holdenhurst 1 40.65x
Milwich 1 1111.11x
St George Hanover 1 16.72x
St Giles In Fields 1 63.29x
St Mary Cray 1 333.33x
St Marylebone London 1 4.09x
Undermilbeck 1 303.03x
Walcot 1 25.45x
Wrexham Regis 1 77.52x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Walther surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Hannah 3
Maria 3
A.L. 1
Alice 1
Amelie 1
Ann 1
Anna 1
Annie 1
C.B. 1
C.D. 1
Christine 1
Clara 1
E.M. 1
Helene 1
J.F. 1
Laura 1
Louise 1
Mademoiselle 1
Margretta 1
Marian 1
Marta 1
Mary 1
S. 1
Tisette 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Walther surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
George 3
William 3
John 2
Albert 1
Aug. 1
C.H. 1
C.S. 1
Carl 1
Charles 1
Ernest 1
Henry 1
Jno. 1
Nichola 1
Thomas 1

FAQ

Walther surname: questions and answers

How common was the Walther surname in 1881?

In 1881, 47 people were recorded with the Walther surname. That placed it at #27,019 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Walther surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 158 in 2016. That gives Walther a modern rank of #22,904.

What does the Walther surname mean?

An occupational surname derived from the German word for "ruler" or "leader," likely referring to a village headman.

What does the Walther map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Walther bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.